In lieu of the NW stock report, we'll take an overarching look at the Western Conference playoff race (which Dave "I blog, I'll sleep when I'm dead" Deckard beat me to over at Blazer's Edge with a Blazers-centric approach).

Denver (52-26)

In the West playoff picture, it's been the Lakers and eight other teams for the better part of the season. Over the last three weeks, the Denver Nuggets have quietly (sort of) surged into the second seed by ripping off 12 wins in their last 13 games. In that time span, the Nuggets have not only built a three-game lead in the division but have also overtaken the Spurs (two games back) for the two spot.

The Nuggets are 3-0 against the Thunder this season. Expect a series sweep Wednesday in the first of a back-to-back. Denver travels to Hollywood to hopefully wear down the Lakers Thursday in the second of a back-to-back. The Nuggets are 1-2 against the Lakers this season. Denver hosts the West's worst, Sacramento, after a few days rest and are 2-1 on the season against the Kings.

Wednesday's regular-season capper at the Rose Garden will most likely hold more significance for Portland in the standings than it will Denver at this point. The Nuggets hold a 2-1 advantage over the Blazers on the season. And to borrow from Dave, "Denver's magic number vis-a-vis the Blazers is 2. Any combination of Denver wins or Portland losses that adds up to 2 clinches their supremacy over us." In other words, Denver has pretty much locked up the NW Division thanks to a velvety last month of the schedule.

Division: 11-3. Conference: 33-15. Home: 31-8. Road: 12-18.

Best case: 56-26. Worst case: 52-30.

San Antonio (49-27)

Manu Ginobili out for the remainder of the year, postseason included. Ouch. The Spurs are reeling a bit, dropping three of the last four (including a head scratcher at home to the Thunder).

SAS now sits in third, just percentage points ahead of Houston, with six games remaining (three road, three home) on the schedule: at OKC (Tuesday), vs. Portland (Wednesday), vs. Utah (Friday), at Sacramento (Sunday), at Golden State (Monday) and vs. New Orleans (next Wednesday).

Surprisingly, the Thunder currently hold the season advantage (2-1) over the Spurs heading into tonight's season finale. Likewise for the Blazers, who can take the season series with a win over the Spurs Wednesday. Both teams will be in the second of a back-to-back. Portland has dropped its last 10 games in San Antonio (last win November 9, 2002) and is 1-11 this season against the West's top nine. A win for Portland would give the Blazers the series and tie breaker. The aging Spurs get a day's rest before facing the Jazz (15-23 on the road). SAS is 2-1 against Utah this season.

The Spurs jaunt to NoCal kicks off the final week of the regular season. SAS is 2-0 against the Kings and 3-0 against the Warriors already this season. The Spurs need a win over the Hornets in the regular-season finale to even the season series at 2-2.

Division: 9-6. Conference: 31-15. Home: 26-12. Road: 23-15.

Best case: 55-27. Worst case: 49-33.

Houston (49-28)

The Rockets sit a mere half game back from the Spurs in third place. The Rockets also sit a mere half game ahead of the Blazers (currently in fifth place). Despite dropping a pair of roadies last week to the Lakers and Suns, Rick Adelman's team seems to have turned on playoff mode basketball, as the Blazers witnessed Sunday night.

Houston has five games remaining (two home, three away), three of which are against playoff teams: vs. Orlando (Tuesday), at Sacramento (Thursday), at Golden State (Friday), vs. New Orleans (Monday) and at Dallas (next Wednesday).

Every Blazers fan is a Magic fan tonight as the Rockets host the Magic. Houston beat Orlando on the road already this season. Like the Spurs above, the the Rockets swing through California for two games in two nights against WC bottom feeders. Houston is going for a series sweep against both the Kings (2-0) and the Warriors (3-0). The Rockets can take the season series over the Hornets with a win Monday. Ditto with Dallas.

Division: 8-6. Conference: 32-16. Home: 31-8. Road: 18-20.

Best case: 54-28. Worst case: 49-33.

Portland (48-28)

Your Portland Trail Blazers sit firmly in fifth place, a half game back of Houston and a full game ahead of New Orleans in sixth. The Blazers have won four out of the last five heading into tonight's game.

The Blazers have six games remaining (three road, three home), including three against the West's top three: at Memphis (Tuesday), at San Antonio (Wednesday), vs. Los Angeles Lakers (Friday), at Los Angeles Clippers (Saturday), vs. Denver (Wednesday).

The Blazers and Grizzlies are familiar foes, having faced off three times in the last 49 days, and wrap up the season series tonight with the Blazers holding the 3-0 advantage. The Grizzlies having been playing much better of late, winners of four straight and averaging 110 points in those wins (including a W over Dallas). *Trap game alert* This is the first of a back-to-back for the Blazers, who play at San Antonio (also playing today) Wednesday. As stated above, with a win the Blazers take the season series and tie breaker.

Portland returns home with a day's rest before taking on the conference-leading Lakers Friday. The Blazers have beaten L.A. (who plays Thrusday) seven-straight times at the Rose Garden. Portland heads to L.A. Saturday to wrap the season series with the Clippers. Portland is 2-1 against the Clippers on the year. Portland closes the regular season with a pair of home games against division rivals OKC (2-1) and Denver (1-2). It would be great to see the final game played for the division title but Denver may be too far out at this point.

The Blazers have the strongest Power Ranking of any team in the West that doesn't rhyme with "Quakers" but also might have the worst path to the West finals. The Blazers seem most likely to end up as the fourth or fifth seed, which probably would mean starting on the road against the Rockets, against whom they've fared very poorly the past few years. If they escape Round 1, the Blazers probably would face a second-round showdown with the Lakers.

Despite Portland's playoff inexperience, I really like its odds of making the conference finals if it can get out of the Lakers' side of the bracket. The Blazers are playing as well as anybody heading into the playoffs and are reasonably healthy. It's the difficulty of climbing into the top three (or falling to the bottom three) that's the problem. I've had them pegged for the fourth or fifth spot for a couple of weeks now, and they'd probably have to win in San Antonio and beat the Lakers this week to change that.

Division: 9-5. Conference: 26-20. Home: 31-7. Road: 17-21.

Best case: 54-28. Worst case: 48-34.

New Orleans (47-29)

The Hornets are about as up and down as any team in the picture right now, having won three of five, including a win over the Spurs and a loss to the Warriors. NO has clinched but sit just a half game ahead of Utah in the sixth spot.

Of all the teams jockeying for playoff position, the Hornets have perhaps the toughest road in the six games remaining (two home, four road): at Miami (Tuesday), vs. Phoenix (Wednesday), at Dallas (Friday), vs. Dallas (Sunday), at Houston (Monday) and at San Antonio (Wednesday). Brutal end.

The Hornets (20-17 on the road) beat the Heat (26-12 at home) earlier this season. New Orleans, playing the second game in as many nights, will go for the season sweep against the Suns. And then the Hornets get to the tough end of the schedule. NO has already taken two of four from the Mavericks and really need one of two to keep ahead of Dallas in the standings. No rest for the weary as the Hornets jump over to Houston for another back-to-back with the Rockets, who own the 2-1 series advantage. And finally, NO closes out the regular season at the Spurs, who also hold a 2-1 series lead. It wouldn't be shocking to see the Hornets slide to the seventh seed by next Wednesday.

Division: 8-4. Conference: 29-18. Home: 27-12. Road: 20-17.

Best case: 53-29. Worst case: 47-35.

Utah (47-30)

The Jazz are trying to keep pace in the division race but hit stumbling blocks last week getting blown out at the Rose Garden, falling in Denver two days later and dropping what should've been a gimmie at home to the Timberwolves. They currently sit a game and a half behind the Blazers in the NW.

The Jazz, not one of the league's better road teams, close out the season with the tough games away from home (two home, three away), with all three roadies against playoff teams: at Dallas (Wednesday), at San Antonio (Friday), vs. Golden State (Saturday), vs. Los Angeles Clippers (Monday) and at Los Angeles Lakers (Tuesday).

As mentioned above, the Jazz are not the gold standard for road success this season but they did knock off the Hornets on their home floor Sunday. Sometimes a little confidence is all you need. And need it Utah will. The Jazz have dropped the Mavs twice at home this season, while losing the first road meeting. They need another big road win in Dallas (28-9 at home) in order to fend off the Mavs, at least for a little while. No visit to the Lone Star State is complete without a run through San Antonio in another stiff test for the Jazz, who are 0-2 against the Spurs this season.

The home stand is a little more forgiving for the Jazz. Utah is 2-1 against the Warriors already this season and 2-0 against the Clippers. Depending on how the Texas trip goes for the Jazz, the regular season finale with the Lakers will probably determine where Utah will finish in the seeding and who they will face in the first round.

Division: 10-6. Conference: 32-15. Home: 32-7. Road: 15-23.

Best case: 52-30. Worst case: 47-35.

Dallas (46-31)

The Mavs all but locked up their playoff destiny by pasting the Suns by 24 points on Sunday to push their lead over the No. 9 team to four games. Dallas sits just a game out of the eight seed behind the Jazz but like the Jazz there are more tests than "easy" games remaining.

The good news for Dallas in their quest to improve their playoff stock is there are more home games (4) than away (1): vs. Utah (Wednesday), vs. New Orleans (Friday), at New Orleans (Sunday), vs Minnesota (Monday) and vs. Houston (next Wednesday).

And with so many home games on the docket (where Dallas is a solid 28-9), you have to like the possibility of the Mavericks moving up in the WC standings. As mentioned above, the Mavs are 1-2 against the Jazz with the one win coming in Dallas. The Mavs and Hornets play a home-and-away double feature, with Dallas hoping for at least a split. NO is 2-0 against the Mavs this season. And as they started the season, the Mavericks end the season facing the Rockets. Houston won the opener and hold a 2-1 advantage on the Mavs.